Bangalore: Infosys Technologies today announced that it has won the Global Corporate Achievement Awards 2002 for the Asia Pacific region.

This innovative award by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recognises companies that have delivered outstanding performance in volatile economic conditions. Infosys won top honours in a competitive group of ten finalists, all with excellent records of sustained profitability, innovation and leadership.

Infosys was judged the winner based on the following awards criteria: performance, strategy, leadership, talent, innovation, impact and image. A distinguished expert panel comprised leading business thinkers and corporate leaders — among them the chief executives of Hindustan Lever, Schlumberger and Tesco, and the former CEOs of Nestlé and SAS — selected the winners. Toyota, the Japanese carmaker, won the second place.

Infosys Technologies chairman and chief mentor Narayana N R Murthy received the award at a gala ceremony held in Hong Kong on 6 November 2002. Speaking on the occasion, Murthy said: “It is a great honour for Infosys to win this prestigious award. We are delighted to be chosen by an august panel of experts to be amongst some of the world’s best corporations. It is a great leap forward for Infosys and the IT industry.”

Says EIU editorial director Daniel Franklin: “Infosys has done nothing less than put the country on the international business map. Its steadfast commitment to international standards of business practice has helped it expand market share worldwide. Their embrace of international corporate standards, quality control process, transparent corporate governance, and intensive training and retention programmes has raised the bar of all Indian companies.”

Winners for the US, Canada and Latin America, led by Johnson & Johnson and Southwest Airlines, were announced in New York on 22 October 2002. Winners for Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be honoured in London on 13 November 2002.